Television broadcasting method and system enabling picture broadcasting from the transmitting equipment to the receiving equipment using alternative broadcasting system standards

• US 5,502,497 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 03/26/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Maeda, Kazunari, Watanabe, Norito, Tanikoshi, Koichiro, Kawabata, Atsushi, Tanifuji, Shinya, Tani, Masayuki, Yamaashi, Kimiya, Futakawa, Masayasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Groody, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HSIA, SHERRIE Y
• Application Number:
  US08/470,449
• Time in Patent Office: 294 Days
• Field of Search: 348/473, 348/474, 348/484, 348/476, 348/6, 348/7, 348/10, 358/142, 358/143, 358/147, 358/146, 358/86
• US Class Current: 348/473
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/30 by a single channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/13 Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/002 Special television systems not provided for by H04N7/007 - H04N7/18 still pictures via a television channel H04N1/00098
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0884 for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/167 Systems rendering the television signal unintelligible and subsequently intelligible

Abstract

A television broadcasting system intended to bestow a certain level of selectivity on compression systems and multiplexing systems for broadcast program pictures. A transmitting equipment transmits the broadcast program pictures, and transmits control information on transmission systems for the transmitted broadcast program pictures. A receiving equipment includes a reception module which receives a program channel having a plurality of sorts of video information multiplexed therein, selected by a viewer, and also the control information concerning the selected program channel. A reception controller commands a signal separator to produce the outputs of the video information interleaved in those positions of the program channel which are designated by the control information. Besides, the reception controller sends a decoder a decoding program contained in the control information. The decoder executes the sent decoding program so as to decode the output video information of the signal separator and to display the decoded video information on a display unit.

Claims

1. A television broadcasting method wherein a transmitting equipment broadcasts a broadcast program picture, while a receiving equipment receives and displays a broadcasted broadcast program picture from said transmitting equipment, said method comprising the steps of:

broadcasting control information by means of said transmitting equipment, said control information including broadcast system standard information specifying a broadcast system standard for receiving and displaying said broadcast program picture at said receiving equipment;

broadcasting said broadcast program picture in accordance with said broadcast system standard by means of said transmitting equipment;

receiving said control information by means of said receiving equipment; and

displaying said broadcast program picture broadcasted from said transmitting equipment, on a basis of said broadcast system standard specified by said broadcast system standard information included in a received said control information by means of said receiving equipment.

2. A television broadcasting method as defined in claim 1, wherein said transmitting equipment encodes said broadcast program picture and then broadcasts said broadcast program picture as an encoded broadcast program picture, and includes a decoding program for decoding said encoded broadcast program picture into said broadcast system standard information included in said control information which is broadcasted, and wherein said receiving equipment decodes said encoded broadcast program picture by executing said decoding program in said broadcast system standard information included in said received control information and then displays a decoded broadcast program picture.

3. A television broadcasting method as defined in claim 1, wherein said transmitting equipment multiplexes a plurality of broadcast program pictures in accordance with a multiplex system and then broadcasts multiplexed broadcast program pictures, and includes multiplex information specifying said multiplex system in said broadcast system standard information for use in separating each of said broadcast program pictures at said receiving equipment,

and wherein said receiving equipment selects a subject broadcast program picture which is to-be-displayed, separates said subject broadcast program picture from said multiplexed broadcast program pictures on a basis of said multiplex system specified by said multiplex information in said broadcast system standard information included in received said control information and displays said subject broadcast program picture which has been separated.

4. A television broadcasting method as defined in claim 1, wherein said transmitting equipment multiplexes a plurality of broadcast program pictures and then broadcasts multiplexed broadcast program pictures, and includes in said control information content information items, each of which indicates a respective content of said broadcast program pictures, and

wherein said receiving equipment displays said each respective content of said broadcast program pictures multiplexed and broadcasted as indicated by said content information items included in a received said control information, accepts a user selection of a subject broadcast program picture to-be-displayed, separates said subject broadcast program picture in accordance with an accepted said user selection, and displays said subject broadcast program picture which has been separated.

18. A television broadcasting method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmitting equipment encodes said broadcast program picture in accordance with a coding system and then broadcasts an encoded said broadcast program picture, and includes coding information specifying said coding system of said encoded said broadcast program picture into said broadcast system standard information included in said control information which is broadcasted, and wherein said receiving equipment decodes a received said broadcast program picture, on a basis of said coding system specified by said coding information in said broadcast system standard information included in said received said control information and then displays a decoded said broadcast program picture.

5. A television broadcasting method wherein a transmitting equipment transmits a broadcast program picture, and a receiving equipment receives and displays a transmitted said broadcast program picture from said transmitting equipment, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a control program by means of said transmitting equipment, said control program, upon execution at said receiving equipment, allowing for acceptance of user instructions from a user and controlling receiving and displaying of said broadcast program picture at said receiving equipment in accordance with said user instructions in order to support customized use of said broadcast program picture by said user of said receiving equipment; and

receiving and executing said control program at said receiving equipment, and thereby supporting customized use of said broadcast program picture by means of said receiving equipment.

6. A television broadcasting system comprising a transmitting equipment which broadcasts a broadcast program picture, and at least one receiving equipment which receives and displays a broadcasted broadcast program picture from said transmitting equipment;

wherein said transmitting equipment comprising a control information transmission means to broadcast control information in accordance with a predetermined format, said broadcast control information including a broadcast system standard information specifying a broadcast system standard for receiving and displaying said broadcast program picture at said receiving equipment, and broadcast program picture transmission means for broadcasting said broadcast program picture in accordance with said broadcast system standard; and

wherein said receiving equipment comprising control information reception means to receive said broadcast control information in accordance with said predetermined manner, and broadcast program picture processing means to receive and display said broadcast program picture broadcasted from said transmitting equipment, in accordance with said broadcast system standard specified by said broadcast system standard information included in a received said broadcast control information.

7. A television broadcasting system as defined in claim 6, wherein said broadcast program picture processing means of said receiving equipment includes a memory means to store therein a received said broadcast program picture and a received said broadcast control information, and further comprises a playback means to play back said broadcast program picture stored in said memory means, in accordance with a user instruction, and display means to display a played-back said broadcast program picture in accordance with a stored said broadcast control information.

8. A television broadcasting system as defined in claim 6, wherein said broadcast program picture transmission means of said transmitting equipment encodes said broadcast program picture and then broadcasts an encoded said broadcast program picture, and said control information transmission means of said transmitting equipment includes a decoding program for decoding an encoded said broadcast program picture in said broadcast control information which is broadcasted,

and wherein said broadcast program picture processing means of said receiving equipment includes a decoder which decodes a received said broadcast program picture by executing said program included in a received said broadcast control information, and a display unit which displays said broadcast program picture decoded by said decoder.

9. A television broadcasting system as defined in claim 7, wherein said broadcast program picture transmission means of said transmitting equipment multiplexes a plurality of broadcast program pictures using a multiplex system and then broadcasts multiplexed said broadcast program pictures, and said control information transmission means of said transmitting equipment includes multiplex information specifying said multiplex system in said broadcast system standard information included in said broadcast control information which is broadcasted for use in separating each broadcast program picture of said broadcast program pictures at said receiving equipment;

and wherein said broadcast program picture processing means of said receiving equipment includes a separator which selects a subject broadcast program picture to-be-displayed and separates said subject broadcast program picture from said multiplexed broadcast program pictures on a basis of said multiplex system as specified by said multiplex information in said broadcast system standard information included in said received broadcast control information, and a display unit which displays said subject broadcast program picture separated by said separator.

10. A television broadcasting system as defined in claim 9, wherein said transmitting equipment includes a plurality of reception units which receive a plurality of broadcast information items, respectively, and a received said broadcast information items are multiplexed into multiplexed said broadcast program pictures which are to be transmitted by said transmitting equipment.

11. A television transmission equipment comprising an input means for inputting a plurality of broadcast program picture items, a processing means for converting a plurality of input said broadcast program picture items into a signal for broadcast in accordance with a predetermined broadcast system standard, and transmission means for broadcasting said signal and control information specifying said predetermined broadcast system standard.

12. A television transmission equipment as defined in claim 11, wherein said input means inputs a plurality of broadcast program picture items, said processing means multiplexes said plurality of input said broadcast program picture item in accordance with a multiplex system, and said transmission means broadcasts a multiplexed said broadcast program picture items and multiplex control information specifying said multiplex system.

13. A television reception equipment comprising a reception means for receiving a broadcast program picture and control information which are broadcasted in accordance with a predetermined format, said control information specifying a broadcast system standard, and a broadcast content processing means for controlling and displaying said broadcast program picture in accordance with said broadcast system standard specified by said control information received by said reception means.

14. A television reception equipment as defined in claim 13, wherein said broadcast program picture to be received by said reception means is an encoded said broadcast program picture, and said control information to be received by said reception means includes decoding information for specifying a decoding system for an encoded said broadcast program picture, and wherein said broadcast content processing means includes a control means for specifying a decoding system for said broadcast program picture in accordance with said control information received by said reception means, a decoder means for decoding said broadcast program picture in accordance with said decoding system specified by said control means, and display means for displaying said broadcast program picture decoded by said decoder means.

15. A television reception equipment as defined in claim 13, wherein said reception means receives a plurality of broadcast program pictures multiplexed in a time division manner, and said control information includes a multiplex information item for specifying a time-division multiplexing system of said time-division multiplexed broadcast program pictures, and wherein said broadcast content processing means includes a control means for specifying said time-division multiplexing system in accordance with said multiplex information item included in said control information received by said reception means, a separation means for selecting a subject broadcast program picture to-be-displayed and separating said subject broadcast program picture in accordance with said time-division multiplexing system specified by said control means, and display means for displaying a subject broadcast program picture separated by said separation means.

16. A television reception equipment as defined in claim 15, wherein said control information further includes content information items indicating contents of said broadcast program pictures multiplexed and broadcasted, and wherein said television reception equipment further comprises a control means and a display means, and said control means operates to display said contents of said plurality of broadcast program pictures indicated by said content information items on said display means on a basis of a received said control information, operates to accept selection of a subject broadcast program picture to-be-displayed, and operates to display a selected said subject broadcast program picture on said display means.

17. A television reception equipment comprising a first reception means for receiving control information including frequency broadcast system standard data indicating each frequency channel of a plurality of broadcast program pictures which are subjected to frequency multiplexing and broadcasted, a second reception means for receiving at least one of frequency-multiplexed and broadcasted said plurality of broadcast program pictures in accordance with said control information and frequency broadcast system standard data received by said first reception means, and a display means for displaying a subject broadcast program picture received by said second reception means.